Knitted fabric



R. K. MILLS July 5, 1938.

Filed Jan. 14, 1958 INVENTOE 2M E. Aku

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ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1938 KNITTED memo Robert Kirkland Mills, Sherwood, Nottingham, England, assignor to Hosiery Developments Limited, Nottingham, England 1 1 Application January 14, 1938 Serial No. 185,041

In GreatBritain December 18, 1936 3 Claims.

This 'lnvention comprises improvements in knitted fabric and in the production thereof. More particularly the invention refers to fabric of a kind wherein, for the purpose of minimizing stitch running or laddering in the event of thread 1 breakage, locked stitches are formed in the fabric 1 bypassing a thread loop through and also around a stitch loop, the stitch-locking thread being coiled around each leg or side of the stitch loop.

m The object of the present invention is to render the ladder-proof properties of fabric of the aforesaid kind more positive or definite, to provide the fabric with a degree of elasticity in the direction of the stitch courses which is equal to and even greaterthan that of ordinary knitted fabric and also preserve the normal elasticity in the direction of the stitch wales, to produce a fabric which is capable 0f quick recovery to normal ,after being repeatedly stretched, and also provide a fabric having a substantially smooth and even surface. Fabric possessing the combined properties as above can be knitted in fine gauges from silk or artificial silk yarn and can be employed with advantage in the production of underwear and other articles of clothing; although the field of utility of the fabric is not restricted to such articles. 1 1 1 1 In practise it has been found that in fabric of the kind referred to the size or length of the stitch-locking loop in relation to that of the stitch loop locked thereby has a definite and'important bearing on the eflicacy of the stitch-locking or run-preventing properties of. the stitch. For example, should the, locking loop be relatively short its locking propensity is less effective than is the 45 starting arun or ladder down the stitchwale;

audit is the purpose of the locking loop to anchor or grip the released loop and thereby prevent or minimize the possibility of laddering. It is found, however, that if the loop of locking thread is of 50 insuflicient length or size in relation to the stitch loop with which it is associated same may slip back over and through said stitch loop and thereby release same, whereas if the locking thread loop is sufilciently long or large in relation to t5 the stitch loop, said locking loop will continue to have frictional or looking engagement with the stitch loop and will be prevented or restrained from slipping back through the stitch loop when the latter becomes tightened.

In fabric of the kind referred to as originally 5 produced, the stitch-locking loops were relatively small and embraced the stitches substantially tightly, consequently the ladder-resisting properties of the fabric were found to be unsatisfactoryor uncertain, while in addition the elasticity 10 of the fabric was impaired withthe result that thefabric was very liable to split or fracture in adirection at right angles to the stitch wales. Subsequent experiments proved that by introducing stitch-locking thread of a length equal to or is somewhat greater than thelength of thread forming the stitches to be embraced thereby the requisite elasticity was imparted to the fabric; and in the specificationof prior U. S. Patent No.

2,076,910 fabric of the kind referred to is de- 20 1 resisting properties, and further experiments have proved that positive or definite ladder-prevention (1. e. positive stitch-locking) can only be ensured by making the stitch-locking loops ap- 35 preciably longer orlarger than the stitch loops. Also, in order to preserve a smooth or substantially smooth surface on the fabric, the locking thread requires to be substantially evenly divided between the needle or stitch wales and the sinker 40 wales.

The present invention, therefore, resides-in the provision of knitted fabric embodying locked or tied stitches of the kind referred to wherein the amount or length of thread introduced to form a number of successive stitch-locking loops is substantially greater than the amount of thread introduced to form the stitches locked thereby, and wherein the length or size of a stitch-locking loop (the amount of thread in said loop) is greater than the 'lengthcrzsize of the stitch loop to be locked (the amount of thread in said stitch loop) to such an extent that, in the event of said stitch becoming released by thread breakage from its interlinking engagement with another loop in the ordinary stitch loops i same wale, said locking loop does not slip back completely out of locking or frictional gripping engagement with the stitch loop.

A feature of the invention also resides in the provision of knitted fabric as last described wherein the size or length of the loops of locking thread is substantially equal in the needle or stitch wales and in the sinker wales.

For the purpose of more fully describing the nature of this invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated a portion of fabric embodying locked or tied stitches and showing how ladderlng is resisted when a stitch is broken.

In the fabric illustrated in the drawing, each stitch loop i in each knitted course is locked or tied by a stitch-locking loop 2, the stitch-locking thread In. from which the locking loops 2 are formed being finer or thinner than the stitch forming thread la.

At the position 3 a stitch loop has been broken, thereby releasing the previously formed stitch loop in the same stitch wale which previously depended thereon. The released stitch loop which is shown pulled straight or substantially straight by virtue of lateral tension applied to thefabric, takes the form of a thread bar 4. The stitch-locking loop associated with the released stitch loop is, however, of such a relative length or size that when said released stitch loop is pulled straight or substantially straight to form the bar 4 there still remains sufficient slackness in the locking thread to maintain a loop 2b, and this locking loop is maintained in engagement with the thread bar 4 and becomes anchored between same and the next previously formed stitch loop lb in the same wale, thereby preventing or resisting further stitch running down the wale.

In an example of the improved fabric of the type referred to, assuming that each successive stitch in a course of stitches is locked or tied as above, for every 10 inches of stitch-forming yarn la inserted into the fabric to produce the to be locked there is at least one additional inch of stitch-locking thread 2a inserted; in other words, the amount or length of stitch thread and stitch-locking thread may be in the ratio of 10 to 11.-

a Let it be assumed for example that the fabric is produced on a 3%" diameter circular knitting machine for producing stockings employing 348 needles, then the amount of stitch-formin thread introduced into a stitch course is advantageously 30 inches. and the amount of stitchlocking thread 33% inches. By so proportioning the stitch thread and stitch-locking thread it will be appreciated that in the event of a stitch becoming broken there is always sufficient slackness in the locking thread loop associated with the released stitch loop to prevent said stitchlocking loop from becoming straightened out and slipping clear of the loop locked thereby.

If desired, each stitch to be locked may have associated with it a plurality of stitch-locking loops, e. g. two loops, each passed in a similar manner through and around the stitch loop. In other words there may be more than one locking thread 2a introduced into a course of stitches.

By reference to the drawing it will be seen that the loops of stitch-locking thread 2a are of substantialiy uniform size in the needle or stitch wales, and in the sinker wales of the fabric; in other words the stitch-looking thread is substantially evenly divided between the needle wales and the sinker wales. In consequence the elasticity of the fabric is in no way impaired, and a fabric is produced having a smooth or substantially smooth or uniform surface, that is to say a surface without comparatively long plush or pile loops projecting therefrom.

I claim:-

1. A knitted fabric embodying locked or tied stitches of the kind referred to wherein the amount or length of thread introduced to form a number of successive stitch-locking loops is substantially greater than the amount of thread introduced to form the stitches locked thereby, and wherein the length or size of every stitchlocking loop (the amount of thread in said loop) is greater than the length or size'of the stitch loop to be locked (the amount of thread in said stitch loop) to such an extent that, in the event of said stitch loop becoming released by thread breakage from its interlinking engagement with another loop in the same wale, said locking loop does not slip back completely out of looking or frictional engagement with the stitch loop.

2. Fabric according to claim 1 wherein the 'size or length of the loops of the stitch-locking thread is substantially equal in the needle wales and in the sinker wales.

3. A knitted fabric embodying locked or tied stitches of the kind referred to wherein the length or size of every stitch-locking loop is greater than that of the stitch loop with which it is associated to such an extent that in the event of said stitch loop being released from its dependent engagement with a subsequently formed stitch loop, the released loop is maintained connected with the next previously formed stitch loop in the same wale by virtue of said relatively long locking loop still retaining a looped formation and becoming anchored between the straightened or substantially straightened thread of the released stitch loop and the said next previously formed stitch loop.

ROBERT KIRKLAND MILLS. 

